Case for keys and the like



Dec. 26,192. 1,439,863

W. R. BUXTON.

OR Y5 AND THE FILED JAN. 5 I922.

INVENT0R4 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 26, 1922.

UNITED STATES 1,439,863 PATENT OFFICE.

'WARNER R. IBUXTON, OF LONGMEADOW, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 BUXTON,

INCORPORATED, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA-cnusn'rrs.

CASE FOR KEYS AND THE LIKE.

15 0 all/whom it may concern Be it known that I,

citizen of the United States, residing at -'Longmeadow, in the county ofHampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Cases for Keys and the like, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to' improvements in cases for keys and the likeand, more particularly, to such cases wherein the keys are supported insnaphooks and these hooks are pivotally supported from the case andarranged to swing out of the case along a substantially definitearc-like path. One example of the general type of key case, with whichthis invention is concerned, is shown in U. S. Letters Patent No.1,261,692, -granted to me on April 2, 1918. v

The broad object of this invention is to provide in a key case of thetype described means whereby the key-supporting snap hooks may not only'swing in the desired arc-like path into and out of the case, but mayalso turn about an axis substantially at right angles to that aboutwhich they swing.

According to this feature of the invention,

the hooks are virtually swivelled, as well as pivoted, and can turn withthe key when the latter isturned in the lock. Ordinarily, the case isheld in the, palm of the hand with two or three fingers while the key isheld between the thumb and first finger and, in turning the key in thelook, a side strain is applied to the snap hook which tends to open itor distort it. Due to this condition, specially constructed hooks havebeen provided for key cases to prevent thekeys from coming off the snaphooks when thus placed under strain. With the provision for theswivelling movement, the hook will turn relatively to the case, undersuch conditions, and the undesirable side strains usually imposed areavoided. Also the hooks may swivel while enclosed within the case toenable the keys to pack down into small compass. Another object of theinvention is to pro- -vide in akey case, a one-piece snap hook, theshank of which has an integral head adapted to be received in a suitablesocket in such a way as to enable both swinging and swivelling movementsof the hook.

Another object of the invention is to pro- WARNER R. BUXTON,

vide in a key case of the s-wivelled and swlng ng hook type, an improvedmeans for receiving the heads on the shanks of the hooks to permit theswivelling as well as the swinging movement.

Other features of the invention will appear in the following descriptionand in the illustrative embodiment of the invention in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a key case embodyingthe invention, the flaps of the case being shown in open position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the key case with the flaps closed; I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssectional view taken on the line3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary topplan view of the key holder.

Referring to these drawings, the caseforming member may be variouslyconstructed as desired, but preferably, as shown, it is substantiallylike that of my prior patent, such member being preferably formed from astrip of flexible material, such as leather and the like, and having aback 10 and two flaps 11 foldable in overlapping relation over the back.These flaps 11 may be-held together in overlapping relation by anysuitable means, such as the interengageable male and female fastenersshown at 12 and 13 respectively.

The back 10 is suitably provided along its upper edge with a pivotalsupport for a series of snap hooks h. Preferably, although notnecessarily, this support is afforded by a separate member,'such as 14,which I also term a key holder and which is adapted to be secured to theback 10 by some suitable means, of which the eyelets 15 are anexemplification. The member 14, preferably of thin sheet metal, is alsoprovided with a series of sockets 16 in which are received suitablyformed heads 17 on the upper ends of the shanks 18 of'the snap hooks h..These heads 17 are arranged to so engage the sockets 16 that the hooksmay not only swing relatively to the support 14: in a substantiallydefinite arc-like path, but may also swivel about an axis at rightangles to that about which they turn and this swivelling may occur atany of the many positions ner described, produces a head of substan-.'

which the hooks may assume during this swinging movement.

The. head 17 is formed integrally with the shank 18 by bending the upperend thereof upon itself into circular form, forming a part in the natureof an eye, the axis of which is disposed at right angles to the hookshank. The latter, being constructed of metal having an approximatelyhalf-round cross-sectional shape and bent in the mantially sphericalshape and this head, being recelved in the sockets 17, permits the hookV to swing about the axis of the sockets and to swivel about an axis atright angles thereto. I

v The sockets 16, inthis instance, are formed by apertures in cars orlugs 19 which are struckup from the member 14 and project outwardlytherefrom and in right angular relation therewith. A series of pairs ofthese; lugs 19 are provided and the head 17 isr'eceived in and between apair of lugs with the shank 18 extending outwardly therefrom between thelugs. The shank 18, being of substantially half-round cross-section, isgreater in width than in thickness and since the lugs 19 must be spacedby a distance less 1 .than the width of shank 18, the latter is recessedin its side edges to provide a. part 20 of reduced width and of a widthapproximately commensurate with its thickness. The part 20 is receivedbetween the lugs and can turn about the axis of the shank 18 as well asswing about the axis of the sockets 16.

y The particular type of socket described is 1 important in. thatassembly of the hooks therein is facilitated. Each pair of lugs 19,

when struck up from the member 14, need not lie exactly in parallelrelation but may diverge as shown in connection with the right hand pairof lugs in Fig. 5.. The

. head 17 may then be inserted between the lugs and the latter forcedtogether into the form shown in connection with the left hand pair oflugs shown in Fi The hooks It may be variouj I to receive and removablysupport keysor .Fig.- 3 has been found invention is de ned by the appened claims rather than by theforegoirig description.

What I claim is- 1. A key holder, comprising, a support adapted forattachment to a key case and having a series of pairs of flat parallellugs auplurahty of snap hooks, each adapted to cases an'dthe like,comprising, a member of 130 projecting at right singles-therefrom,recesses provided in each pairof lugs, and 1 head received in the alireceive'a keyor the like and each having a head received in the alignedrecesses of a pair of said lugs with the shank of the hook locatedbetween such lugs, said head being so engaged in said recesses that thehook can swing in an arc-like path about the axis of said recesses andcan swivel about an axis at right angles .to the last-named axis.

2. A key holder, comprising, a support adapted for attachmentto a keycase and having a series of pairs of flat parallel lu s struck uptherefrom and projecting at rig t angles therefrom, aligned recessesprovided in each pair of lugs, and a plurality of snap hooks, eachadapted to receive a key or the like and each havingan integralball-like head received in the aligned recesses of a pair of said lugswith the shank of the hook located between such lugs, said head being soengaged in said recesses that the hook can swin in an arc-like pathabout the axis of sald recesses and can swivel about an axis at rightangles to the'last-named axis.

3. A. key holder, comprising, a support adapted for attachment to a keycase and having aseries of pairs of fiat parallellugs projecting atright angles therefrom, aligned recesses provided in each pair of lugs,and a plurality of snap hooks, each adapted to receive a key or the likeand each having a ed recesses of a pair of said lugs with the shank ofthe hook located between such lugs, said head being so engaged in saidrecesses that the hook can sw1ng in an arc-like path about the axis ofsaid recesses and can swivel about an axis at right angles to thelast-named axis, the width of the shank of each hook being greater thanits thickness and the shank having a substan tially half-roundcross-sectional shape, said head being formed by bending the endof theshank upon itself about an axis at right angles to the shank intocircular form, said shank adjacent said headbeing recessed in its sideedges to make its width substantially approximately the cross-sectionalshape of a segment of a circle and haspne flat side and an oppositelydisposed rounded side,- said the flat side into substantially the formof a 11,0 5. commensurate with the space between a pair y constructedshank being bent about an axis parallel to circle having a diameterapproximately" equal to the width of said flat side, whereby aligned L asubstantially spherical head is provided.

6. A swivelling and swinging hook for key approximately half roundcross-sectional shape having a portion bent into substan tially circularform to form an approximately spherical head for reception ina suit--able socket in the key case and having recesses in its side edgesadjacent said head.

7. A snap hook, the shank of which is of substantially half roundcross-sectional shape bent about an axis substantially at right anglesthereto into circular form to provide a ball head for reception in asocket in the key case, said shank having recesses in its side edgesclosely adjacent said ball to form a portion of reduced width and of a.width substantially commensurate with the thickness of the shank.

8. A snap hook for key cases and-the like, having a shank the width ofwhich is greater than its thickness, and having recesses in its sideedges at a point closely adjacent one end thereof to provide a portionof reduced width and of a width substantially commensurate with itsthickness.

9. A swivelling and swinging hook for key cases and the like, the shankof which has a part for reception within a socket in the key case and isgrooved adjacent said part to provide a portion of reduced size to passout of the socket.

In testimony whereof I signature. i

WARNER R. BUXTON.

have afiixed my

